


Why do you Care for me?

by AssassinsAndAngels



Series: Drow's envy [2]
Category: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Genre: Artemis has actual feelings?, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:41:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23876350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssassinsAndAngels/pseuds/AssassinsAndAngels
Summary: After the fiasco in Waterdeep, Artemis and Jarlaxle agree to take Melody and Arya with them on their travels. When in Thay, they pick up a contract that may have been harder than they thought. In Luksan, they just want to relax, but it seems like trouble follows them wherever they go! Not to mention the dagger Jarlaxle stole may have more power than he thought...
Relationships: Jarlaxle Baenre & Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle Baenre/Artemis Entreri
Series: Drow's envy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671661
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

Jarlaxle clutched his dagger desperately. He looked around wildly. The rustle in the brushes told him they were close. He brandished his dagger, crouching down. He knew he looked pathetic. The men tailing him came in quickly. They were in a small clearing. Jarlaxle had nine sword tips pressed to his throat.

“Gentlemen. Can’t we talk about this?” He asked innocently. One of them pressed the sword just hard enough to draw blood before backing up slightly. “Guess not!” Jarlaxle jumped up, gripping the hand that was extended from the trees and let it pull him up. He nodded to his partner and they exploded into action, each dropping back down onto the confused bandits. 

“That was better than last time!” Artemis yelled as he ran one of the bandits through with Charon’s Claw. Jarlaxle chuckled.

“I don’t know, you jumped a little late!” Came a female voice. The girl in question leapt on top of one of the men, dragging her scimitar along the man’s back as she leapt to her next target. Artemis laughed outright at her entrance.

Jarlaxle merely smiled, concentrating on the woman in front of him. She held a large axe, and she looked angry. He tipped his hat teasingly at her and she snarled before running at him. He held his dagger out, but just as she got close enough he elongated it into a sword. Her eyes widened as she was impaled, and he slid the sword back out. 

There was only one man left, and he was whimpering. Melody had a scimitar pressed on his throat. He had his hands up. Melody was talking to him, but Jarlaxle couldn't quite make out what they were saying. He walked towards them. Just as he got close enough to hear what they were saying, an arrow impaled itself in the man’s eye. 

Arya dropped down from a tree. “You all move too fast. I couldn’t get a shot in!” She glared halfheartedly at her companions. Entreri shook his head. They quickly looted the bodies, no one finding anything overly valuable. 

As Jarlaxle moved towards the woman he killed, he felt a thrumming. As if he were being controlled, he dug into her small pouch. There was a small sheathe within it, and it looked familiar to Jarlaxle. He pulled it out. A small not fluttered to the ground. 

_ Take it to Thay. It must be destroyed. _

Jarlaxle unsheathed the small dagger. The obsidian blade was familiar, he realized, as he unsheathed his. They were identical, save for the hilt. One had a purple gem, and the other had a blue gem. He shook his head. He held them both up to the sunlight. He didn’t know why. The blade seemed to compel him to do so. So he did. 

The daggers thrummed before shooting a ray of light at a tree, burning a hole through the trunk. Jarlaxle jumped, quickly sheathing the weapons. He tied the second sheath to the first.

“What was that?” Jarlaxle forgot they were there. Entreri stood there with his arms crossed. Jarlaxle jumped, before shaking his head. His thoughts became clearer. He looked down sheepishly. 

“I have discovered what appears to be the brother to my dagger.” He said simply. He held out the note to Entreri, who read it quickly. Melody and Arya looked over his shoulder. Entreri sighed. 

“Of course you would manage to find the brother of a dagger that shoots sunlight through trees.” Entreri rolled his eyes, and they all began to laugh. “The note worries me, however. Someone deems it dangerous enough to try and destroy it in Thay.” Jarlaxle nodded.

“Good thing we are just a weeks ride from Thay. It's not like that’s not our destination anyways.” Arya interjected. “We can just investigate when we get there.” Melody nodded. Jarlaxle and Artemis agreed before they walked to the small clearing they had tied their horses up. 

The four companions had been on the road for a month. They decided to take the scenic route to Thay, considering there was no hurry and it meant less danger. Both Arya and Melody had improved on their fighting skills. Jarlaxle found that, to his surprise, he was proud of the two girls. They didn’t annoy Entreri as much as he thought they would. 

As much as the two of them tried to deny it, they both had a soft spot for the girls. They weren’t too loud or too needy, and they carried a conversation quite well. They also loved to spar. When Jarlaxle and Artemis wouldn’t spar with them, they fought each other. They were coming to be in sync with each other the way Artemis and Jarlaxle were. 

“Why don’t we camp here for the night. Since these bandits were here, we know that there aren’t any other rival groups at the moment.” Jarlaxle suggested. Entreri nodded in agreement, and they set up a small camp. Entreri used his magical tent and everyone piled inside. 

The next morning, they hurried out. Getting to Thay quickly to investigate the daggers was a priority, Entreri had decided during the night. He didn’t like unknown magical items being too close to him. They rode for a day straight. 

There was a few days of this, before the city was in sight. Melody and Arya wanted to camp one last time so they could arrive when it was light out. Jarlaxle agreed. Entering a new place in the middle of the night always brought suspicious eyes with it. Not that a drow wouldn’t in any case, but it was always better to be safe. 

As they were making the fire, Entreri tapped Jarlaxle on the shoulder, motioning towards the woods. Jarlaxle grinned, before calling over to the girls that they would be back soon. As soon as they were out of sight, Artemis took Jarlaxle’s hand in his own. Jarlaxle smiled softly. 

“How are you really doing?” Artemis asked him quietly. After Waterdeep, he had been bugging Jarlaxle nonstop about how he was doing. 

“I’m doing fine, Abbil. Really. Melody and Arya are thriving with us, We are almost to Thay, and I’m with you. What more could I want?” Jarlaxle inwardly cringed at his words. He sounded too sappy for his tastes. Since when did his happiness rely on a grumpy assassin and two teenage girls? 

“I must admit that I am exhausted. We seem to be a beacon for every bandit gang there is out here. I will be happy when we get to Thay.” Entreri admitted. Jarlaxle leaned into Entreri. They had become more comfortable with each other over the past month, and Jarlaxle found that Entreri no longer shied away from him in moments like these. 

“I have to agree with you on that. I’ll be excited for a nice meal and an actual bed. And a room away from them! As much as I enjoy their presence, they are too loud at night. Us old men need our beauty sleep!” Jearlaxle exclaimed. Melody and Arya stayed up talking until just an hour or two before they left for the day. Jarlaxle and Entreri had no idea how they were thriving with such a small amount of sleep. 

Artemis laughed, a more common thing now that they were on the road again. He wrapped his arm around Jarlaxle, and they just sat there like that for longer than they knew. Which is why it came as a surprise when Melody and Arya dropped down from the trees above them.

“Told you!” Melody pointed at them, looking at Arya. “You didn’t believe me, but I was right!” She squeaked, bouncing up and down on her toes. Entreri quickly moved his arm, and Jarlaxle sat upright. They taught the girls how to be silent, and they were quickly realizing that mistake. While they probably would have heard them coming on a normal night, Jarlaxle realized they had relaxed far too much for being in the middle of the woods. 

“No need to brag about it,” Arya rolled her eyes, looking at the pair. Artemis was looking at his shoes, and Jarlaxle didn’t know whether to be embarrassed for Artemis or to laugh. He managed to contain himself only because he knew how Artemis liked to keep his private life, well, private. 

“You two think you’re so subtle! ‘Oh, we are going to get wood and not come back for an hour!’ Seriously?” Melody was cackling at this point. Artemis shot her a glare before storming off back towards camp. It seemed as if Entreri’s usual grumpy self was back. 

“Melody!” Arya seemed shocked. “You don’t need to point it out!” She whacked her friend on the back of her head with her hand lightly. Jarlaxle chuckled. 

“I would advise you not to bring it up again in front of him. He’s very private about that sort of thing, and he may just stab you in your sleep.” Jarlaxle said, even though he knew Artemis wouldn’t. Would he? He might if it got bad enough. Better to stop it now. 

Melody nodded, but the smile on her face didn’t leave. She turned around, walking back towards the campsite. Jarlaxle sighed, turning and following suit. Once they were in Thay, they would have separate rooms and the girls could get out without them. Less than a day, Jarlaxle thought, before lying down next to Entreri and drifting off.


	2. Chapter 2

Jarlaxle could see the gates. The city of Bezantur was beautiful, and Jarlaxle could feel magical energy practically pulsing from it. The Red Wizards of Thay originated here. Jarlaxle couldn’t wait until they had enough allies to meet them.

His mind was already whirring with big plans when Entreri tapped him on the shoulder. Melody and Arya headed off into the city with the promise that they would meet at the gates in a few hours. 

“No big plans here. We do small jobs.” Entreri said firmly. It was true, Jarlaxle’s plans in Waterdeep didn’t pan out quite correctly, but that was only one instance! He shook his head.

“I wouldn't be me without my grand schemes!” Jarlaxle exclaimed, though he knew his partner was right. Jarlaxle’s plans tended to get them into more trouble on the surface than they did back in the Underdark. A look from Artemis told him that the discussion was over. 

“I think we should take on seperate jobs from Melody and Arya.” He said instead. Jarlaxle just nodded. There were added benefits to that, two pairs of two drew less attention than a group of four, and they were beginning to find that they worked more efficiently without the girls. Not that they didn’t enjoy their presence. 

“I agree. We should let them have their own freedom.” Artemis nodded, and they began looking for an inn. They found a large one with two rooms available, and they paid for a month in advance. Artemis and Jarlaxle made their way upstairs into the rooms. They both had one large bed and a small attached bathroom. Jarlaxle set his things down before turning to see Artemis setting various traps. 

“Already, my friend?” Jarlaxle asked. Artemis had been paranoid ever since Waterdeep. 

“Jarlaxle, you were taken captive and put under potions that made you experience other people’s worst fears on top of yours. I’m merely being cautious.” Artemis explained calmly.

“You act as if I was dragged out of my sleep! I walked right into it, taking three dozen guards down with me!” Jarlaxle protested. He knew the traps were a good idea. He just didn’t like that Entreri was treating him like he was less competent than him. He crossed his arms. 

“It’s just a precaution.” Entreri muttered. Although it seemed to Jarlaxle that he was trying to convince himself as much as convince Jarlaxle.   
“Well then. Thank you for taking care of it.” Jarlaxle backed off. Let Entreri worry. There were worse things. 

“We should go meet the girls.” Entreri sighed. Jarlaxle followed him out the door. They left their horses in the stables, deciding to walk and familiarize themselves with the city. “We also need to find a job, or I’ll kill someone out of boredom.” Entreri added as soon as they were out of the inn. Jarlaxle laughed. 

“I agree, Abbil. A job would be good for the both of us.” Jarlaxle smiled. As long as they got paid, things were good. The wheels began turning in Jarlaxle’s brain again. If they could learn more about the daggers on the way… Jarlaxle smirked. A visit to the Red Wizards of Thay would not hurt their hunt. All he knew of the dagger is that one was in Menzoberranzan for a very long time, even by elf standards.

They had only just arrived at the gate when Melody and Arya came up to them, their horses held by the reins. 

“Did you find us a place to stay for a while?” Arya asked. Ever was she the serious one. Jarlaxle nodded.

“Good! We may or may not have gone a bit overboard.” Melody opened her saddlebags and at least three dresses fell out. “I want some nice things to wear when I get back to Waterdeep!” She explained when Entreri shot her a questioning look. 

“Just don’t buy too much or your horse won’t be able to carry it all. And don’t forget we are also going to Luksan.” Jarlaxle smiled at the younger girls. They began to lead them back to the inn. The girls chatted with Entreri, but Jarlaxle was lost in his own world. Thay was a warmer region than Waterdeep and Luksan, and he had to admit it had a certain appeal. 

They got to the inn and showed the girls their room. The sun was beginning to set, and they were all tired. They said their good nights before retiring to their own room. 

“What kind of job do you wish to look for?” Jarlaxle asked. They had very different ideas for jobs sometimes, as they had discovered back in Waterdeep. “Long or short?” 

“I want a challenge this time. I’ve been itching for something new, but I don’t quite know where to find a job like that.” Entreri sighed. “I’ve been getting bored.” Jarlaxle nodded. He had to admit, a simple job could be fun, but he hadn’t been challenged since they destroyed the Crystal Shard. 

“I agree.” Was all Jarlaxe responded with. “I also wish to learn more about the daggers.” He turned and saw Entreri sigh, running his fingers through his hair. 

“I don’t trust them. Unknown powers? The one was bad enough, now they can shoot beams of light?” Entreri exhaled. “I just don’t know if they are something we should have with us. They may bring unwanted attention.” Jarlaxle nodded.

“Do not forget, Abbil. You retrieved the first dagger for me.” It was true. Entreri had gotten it for him as a sort of apology. “And isn’t it better to find out what they do than to leave them somewhere lest they get into the wrong hands?” Entreri nodded, mumbling that he was right. Jarlaxle sat down on the bed. 

“Then we should make for the Red Wizards as soon as we have found other sorts of work.” Jarlaxle grinned. Artemis threw a pillow at him and laughed.

“You always get what you want.” Entreri shook his head. They got into the bed, and Jarlaxle was presented with another issue. He and Entreri hadn’t exactly ironed out the specifics of their relationship. How was he to…

His internal question was answered when Entreri rolled over, laying his head on Jarlaxle’s shoulder. He put his arm around the assassin before drifting off. There would be plenty of time to ponder their relationship in the morning.

When he woke up, Entreri was gone. Jarlaxle shot out of the bed before noticing the closed bathroom door. He crept over near the door, pressing his ear to it. The door swung open, Jarlaxle stumbled back.

“You really think that you can sneak up on me while i’m in the bathroom of all places?” Entreri’s hair was wet. Jarlaxle paused. He had nothing but his breeches on, he was nude from the top up. Jarlaxle ran his eyes appreciatively down the assassin’s slender form. “What are you looking at?” Jarlaxle tore his eyes from Entreri’s torso. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Jarlaxle shook his head slightly. “I didn’t know where you were.” Entreri chuckled. 

“I’m not just going to randomly leave you, Jarlaxle. I’ll at least give you some notice.” The assassin quipped. 

“How generous. Thank you, kind one” Jarlaxle dipped into an exaggerated bow, sweeping his hat off. Artemis reached out and lightly tapped his head. Jarlaxle shot back up, replacing the hat. “Did you just?” He sputtered. Artemis looked way too smug about it. 

“I did.” Entreri was grinning. Jarlaxle smirked. Two can play at that game. He ducked low, gripping the assassins legs. They went tumbling to the bathroom floor, and Jarlaxle ended up on top, pinning Entreri down loosely with his hands above his head. Jarlaxle smiled dangerously. 

“Well Abbil. Just how shall I bother you on this fine morning?” Jarlaxle pretended to be thinking. “I’m thinking-” He didn’t even finish his sentence when Entreri cut him off.

“If you tickle me you’re a dead man.” The assassin threatened. Jarlaxle smiled, moving one of his hands down to the assassins sides and poking it. 

“I think I’ll take my chances!” Jarlaxle laughed, and Entreri was half laughing and half trying to look threatening, and the result was making him look rather ridiculous. Jarlaxle only tortured him for a few minutes, however, before deciding that if he carried on too long he might find himself without an eyebrow. He shuddered as he remembered the day in the woods when he found he only had one. He had to use his last hair growth potion on that. 

“I’m going to get you for that!” Entreri exclaimed when Jarlaxle finally got off him. 

“I’m sure you will.” Jarlaxle shook his head. He had to admit, Entreri looked rather handsome like this. His brown locks were tousled, and he was breathing just heavily enough that the rise and fall of his chest was noticeable. Not to mention the fact that he was topless. Jarlaxle smiled, before going and grabbing a clean shirt, tossing it to Entreri. He put it on, still glaring at the mercenary. 

There was a knock at the door, and Melody stood in the doorway. She smiled at Jarlaxle before pushing her way into the room. She made herself comfortable on their bed, and Jarlaxle barely noticed Entreri rolling his eyes playfully. 

“Arya and I were thinking-” Melody began.

“Oh this should be good.” Entreri chuckled. Melody threw a pillow at him.

“As if your ideas are ever any good. The only ones here that can come up with good plans are Jarlaxle and Arya,” Melody retorted. Artemis went to protest, because of course it wasn’t true and she knew it, but she simply raised her hand and continued to speak. “We want to take on a job of our own. Nothing big, but we have been training for a month! And obviously we picked up on everything rather quickly, else we would be rotting in the woods somewhere.” Melody said, looking at Jarlaxle as she spoke.

“We were actually thinking somewhat the same thing,” Jarlaxle replied. “Not only do you two need the experience, but Entreri and I were thinking of taking on a longer job.” He finished. Entreri flashed him a look, they had discussed difficulty, not length. 

“I guess that’s settled then. We don’t want anything that will take us more than a week or two to do. Will you be staying here while you do the job?” She asked. The two males exchanged glances.

“We don’t know yet. But we will stay in Bezantur, if that is what you’re asking.” Entreri smiled. “There are a few rules that we will need to follow, however.” She nodded. 

“Shall I fetch Arya so we can discuss them?” She asked. He nodded, and she hopped off the bed, running to their room. It was only a few moments later that she dragged a very sleepy looking Arya into the room. The older girl was still wearing her pajamas. 

“I had a late night last night.” She waved her hand. “It’s no big deal, I’ll be awake in a few moments.” They waited until she was awake enough to have a conversation before they began. 

“If we are taking on seperate jobs, we must act as if we don’t know each other outside of our rooms. If we accept jobs from opposing clientele, they may wonder why you are hanging around members of opposite sides of a dispute.” Entreri explained. Both girls nodded. 

“Seems easy enough. Don’t look too long, don’t talk unless forced to, and overall, just don’t act stupid. Got it!” Melody smiled widely. Jarlaxle grinned back. It was what he liked about the girls, he realized. They were compliant enough not to cause issues, but had enough spark in them to allow them to grow and express themselves. Melody also happened to always be cheerful, while Arya tended to be more reserved.

But both girls were intelligent and good with weapons. It made Jarlaxle smile to think that they were happy on the road. However, he often caught Arya writing to Collette. She always wrote the letters before stuffing them in her saddlebags. She must have twenty of the things already, and it had been just over a month since they left Waterdeep. 

Melody had no such connection with Carol. She talked of her sisters often, but never with the same spark. He supposed it was the loss of Anya, their older sister that brought them closer together. 

“Exactly. Just be careful.” Entreri was saying. Jarlaxle shook himself out of his thoughts. Here and now, he had to remind himself. 

“We will begin after lunch, so be ready to stake out a few options.” Jarlaxle warned the girls. They both nodded excitedly. They rushed back to their room to get ready for the day, and Jarlaxle realized he needed a small bath. 

While bath houses were always preferable, due to the different scents and temperatures, Jarlaxle loved a room with its own small bathtub. Waterdeep hadn’t been that kind, and Jarlaxle found that he hated smeling so terrible all the time. 

As soon as he got out he redressed. They had about an hour before they would eat lunch, so they decided to lounge in their room together. He leaned against Entreri as he sharpened his dagger. Entreri was reading a small book. 

“What are you reading?” Jarlaxle asked. 

“It’s a book about the Red Wizards of Thay. I don’t love wizards in general, so I thought I would research them a bit before we went to see them.” Entreri replied. “They do not seem to be the best people.” 

“Groups of wizards like that rarely are. We had best cough up enough gold to get what we want. Else we may just leave without our heads.” Jarlaxle smiled. “But don’t worry so much, Abbil. We will be fine.” Entreri didn’t look convinced, so he plucked the book from his hands and tossed it away, pulling Artemis down onto the bed before rolling on top of him.

“Jarlaxle. You’re crushing me.” Entreri said calmly. “Would you be so kind as to remove yourself from me?” Jarlaxle shook his head into Entreri’s shoulder. He sighed, trying to push the drow off him, but with no luck. “Please?” He asked pleadingly. Jarlaxle once again shook his head. He was not moving.

“No!” Was his muffled response. Entreri sighed before wrapping his arms around the drow. One thing Jarlaxle knew the assassin was learning to deal with was Jarlaxle’s love to cuddle. However, the way the assassin tended to respond led him to believe that he wasn’t so much learning to deal with it as he was learning when to allow the drow to cuddle him. 

Jarlaxle eventually rolled off him, as he knew he was greatly hindering his partner’s ability to breathe. They cuddled for a while before realizing they needed to be downstairs in fifteen minutes. Jarlaxle reluctantly got up.

They headed downstairs. The girls were sitting at a small table sipping coffee and chatting. Jarlaxle slid into the chair next to Melody, and Artemis sat across from him. They smiled at the girls before getting to business.

“Ground rules. No lords. You can’t leave the city. And don’t even think about going anywhere alone with a client.” Artemis began. He and Jarlaxle exchanged a look. It was bad enough as grown men, but two young girls would attract a lot of the wrong attention. 

“C’mon. We aren’t kids!” Melody protested.

“This is your first job, and you won’t get eaten by the system like I was.” Entreri explained calmly. Melody hushed quickly at that. She knew that anytime Entreri slipped up like that, he was worried or stressed. She nodded. 

“Okay.” She conceded quietly. Entreri nodded. 

“Good luck.” Jarlaxle said. As they got up, he reached down and squeezed their shoulders. “Remember. We are strangers. If you break any of Artemis’s rules, we will take you back to Waterdeep.” He smiled softly at them before heading out. It was time to find a job. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added a second chapter because I got done with it earlier than I thought :) I hope you enjoyed


	3. Chapter 3

“I need three men dead. All of them are Lords.” He was a merchant, small and wiry. They exchanged a glance. “I offer you 50’000 gold coins for the job.” They exchanged another glance. 50’000 gold was ridiculously high. 

“We will take it, I suppose.” Artemis said hastily. Jarlaxle looked over at him in surprise. Typically he was the one who accepted jobs, while Artemis just signed to him in drow code whether or not it sounded agreeable. The change in pace was welcome, though he had to admit quite unexpected. 

“We will get right on it.” They nodded to the man before getting up and leaving. He gave them a slip of paper with the names written on it, and Jarlaxle slipped it into his bag of holding. They exited, before finding a small cafe. As they sat down for dinner, they discussed the job.

“I did not realize you wished to take the lead on this one.” Jarlaxle smiled. “I was not expecting it.” Entreri grunted in response. 

“I like the idea of 50’000 golden coins. It will pay for most of a nice home in Waterdeep or Luksan.” The assassin added. Jarlaxle was stunned. Entreri never seemed the type to want a large home. “Not permanent, of course!” The assassin exclaimed. “We both love the adventure too much.” 

“I have to agree. Though it would be nice to have a place we could stay between jobs.” Jarlaxle added. Perhaps a large house would be nice. They could have a large bathtub attached to their bedroom. 

“Exactly.” Entreri beamed at him. Jarlaxle grinned back. His partner was in an unusually good mood that day. Between their encounter earlier that morning and their conversation now, the assassin was being more good tempered today than Jarlaxle had ever seen him.

“Whats up, Abbil? You are in an unusually good mood today.” Jarlaxle asked. Entreri merely shrugged, slipping the waitress a silver coin as she brought them their food. They had both gotten lamb, and Jarlaxle watched as Entreri enjoyed his meal. “You aren’t eating your food as quickly as usual. Something is up.” Jarlaxle stated firmly.

“I honestly don’t know. I feel giddy for no reason at all.” Entreri smiled at him. “It is a bit unnerving, actually.” Jarlaxle nodded. 

“What did you have to drink this morning?” Jarlaxle asked. 

“Well, before you were up the barmaid brought me a coffee. She said something about it bringing extra energy and something else, but I don’t quite remember what.” Entreri was still smiling. Jarlaxle paused. Entreri would remember every detail of that conversation, and would rarely accept a drink he hadn’t requested. 

“Did everything seem… normal with her?” Jarlaxle sighed. He could deal with a drunk Entreri, but a bewitched one? Artemis was likely to kill someone as soon as he broke the spell, likely the barmaid. 

“She just said that I was a little grumpy last night, and though I could use some cheering up!” Entreri was grinning uncontrollably now. Jarlaxle racked his brain trying to figure out what sort of potion or spell could do this. He sighed, grabbing Artemis and pulling him out the door. 

“We need to get you back to our room,” He said as he dragged the poor assassin through the streets. To his credit, Entreri tried to keep up, but he kept trying to put a bounce in his step, which annoyed Jarlaxle to no end. He was the one who bounced when he walked, not Entreri. 

He pulled Entreri into their room, lying him on their bed. He sighed, before turning away and heading for the door. 

“I’m going to get the barmaid. You wait here and don’t move.” Jarlaxle said firmly. He watched Entreri nod vigorously before he walked out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Jarlaxle shook his head as he walked down the stairs. If Entreri was given a potion, what kind of potion was it?  
“You!” He pointed at the barmaid that was there when he rented the rooms. She looked quite startled, before coming up to him. She was a small half-elf, and she had wavy brown hair. She looked terrified. She should be, if she had slipped Entreri something. He pulled her up the stairs into their room.

“Did you serve my friend coffee this morning?” He asked sharply. She nodded. 

“I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear!” She burst into tears. “I’m just so tired of men bein so rude to me, so I found a potion that would make them nicer! Except, I think I messed it up because everyone has been so nice it’s annoying!” She sat there sobbing. Jarlaxle sighed. 

“Reverse it.” He commanded. 

“What?” She looked up, her eyes puffy.

“Reverse it. My friend and I have a job here, and if you don’t reverse it, they won’t find your body.” Jarlaxle said simply. “I’m not going to ask again.” 

“I don’t know how!” She exclaimed. “The recipe was given to me by some random guy who came in here months ago, I just now finished brewing it!” She was crying again. Jarlaxle began to pace around the room. They just got here and already meddlesome barmaids were screwing everything up for them. 

“It’s okay! I don’t mind!” Artemis smiled widely. Of course he doesn’t care, Jarlaxle realized, until this is over, and he murders the poor girl in her sleep. 

“It wears off after two days unless I give them more.” She added quietly. Jarlaxle whipped around. She looked at him with wide eyes before continuing. “I mean, so far it has lasted no longer than two days before I had to give them more. He should be fine soon!” She smiled through her tears. Jarlaxle shook his head.

“I’m not going to kill you now. But I also won’t be stopping my partner when this wears off.” He threatened. She turned pale, nodding. “And If you give out any more of that potion, I will find you.” He glared at her. He didn’t need any more overly sappy fools running around. He motioned for her to leave and she scurried out of the room.

“Why were you so mean?” Entreri asked sadly. “She was so nice to you and you threatened her!” Jarlaxle laughed.

“My friend, two days from now I will be the only thing stopping you from murdering her.” He smiled softly at his friend. “I think it is high time we both went to bed, Abbil. Hopefully in the morning you will be less… giddy.” Jarlaxle shook his head.

When he woke up, he learned that the potion got worse before it got better. 

Entreri was already up, bouncing on the bed. Jarlaxle knew immediately that he was not going to get anything done that day. So he pulled Entreri from the bed and had the barmaid bring them breakfast to their room. While that inn didn’t typically do that, a meaningful look from Jarlaxle over the counter convinced her. 

“We can’t go out in public with you like this.” Jarlaxle sighed deeply. Today was not going to be a good day, “And I can’t leave you alone. And the girls have their own issues. So that means I have to stay here. With you. All day.” He sighed again. 

“That isn’t so bad! I’m fun!” Artemis crossed his arms across his chest and pouted. Jarlaxle rolled his eyes. 

“Not like this you aren’t.” He sat down on the bed, opening a book on the history of Thay the inn provided him. He was halfway down the page when Entreri crawled up to him, pushing the book down. 

“I can be fun.” The assassin said mischievously. He crawled onto Jarlaxle, straddling his lap. Jarlaxle audibly gulped. Artemis grinned, before leaning in. 

“Nope. Nada. Not happening.” Jarlaxle shook his head, pushing the assassin off him. He got up and moved to the chair in the corner. Artemis sat there, looking hurt. 

“I thought we were… more than friends.” Tears seemed to be welling up in Entreri’s eyes. Jarlaxle was stunned. Entreri didn’t cry! 

“Abbil. I could never forgive myself if something happened while you were bewitched. Not to mention the fact that you would kill me the instant you were yourself again.” Jarlaxle shook his head, trying to ignore how much he wanted to kiss the assassin. He hadn’t tried again since that day in the clearing, fearing that Entreri would just run again. 

“I’m fine, Jarlaxle!” Entreri insisted. Jarlaxle shook his head. 

“You’re really not. Why don’t you go take a bath or something.” Jarlaxle shook his head again. How does one care for a bewitched assassin?

“Only if you join me.” Entreri pouted. 

“Bath is a no go, then.” Jarlaxle muttered under his breath. He spotted the book on the Red Wizards of Thay on the table. He tossed it to Entreri, who caught it effortlessly. “Read this. If it was so interesting to you last night, it will certainly continue to interest you.” The drow picked up a pen and paper, determined to be at least somewhat productive. He could at least figure out who they were to kill for the merchant. 

He reached into his bag of holding, pulling out the small slip of paper. It looked as if it had been ripped off of something else, the edges were jagged. Jarlaxle unfolded it, reading the contents. 

_ Ishira Ducesca _

_ Olesya Ducesca _

_ Nazara Ducesca _

_ 50’000 gold for their heads. They reside in a large house on the outskirts of the city, with two mermaid statues carved outside. Do not fail me. _

_ ~Peltak Galambos _

So the merchant did have a name. Jarlaxle knew he told Entreri, but he must have missed it. Tomorrow they would go and pay a visit to the Ducesca family. He told Entreri that he would be back soon, before going downstairs. He found the barmaid cleaning up in the back, and she paled when he approached. 

“I didn’t give any more out, I swear!” She wouldn’t meet his eye.

“I don’t care about that right now. I have some questions for you.” Jarlaxle said impatiently. This needed to be quick, or Entreri would probably come down and look for him. She nodded slowly. “I want to know everything you know about the Ducesca family.” He looked at her accusingly. She faltered, looking down at the ground. 

“I don’t know who they are!” She stammered. A twitch in her hand and the way her eye shifted gave her lie away, however. Jarlaxle pulled out a dagger.

“I can ask you again, or I can take you to a secluded spot and carve the answers out of you.” He began. Of course he wouldn’t do that. He wasn’t cruel. But the girl was beginning to get on his nerves and he needed to get back upstairs fast. “What do you know?” 

“Okay! My sister works for them. She’s their cook. They are a noble family, with three daughters and no sons. Ishira is the eldest, followed by Olesya, then Nazara is the youngest. But thats all I know!” She bit her lip slightly. “Are you going to kill me?” Jarlaxle laughed.

“No. I won’t kill you. But I make no promises for my partner.” He nodded to her before telling her to bring them dinner to their room. He turned and walked back upstairs to find Melody and Arya looking in horror at Entreri, who was dancing and humming a tune.

“What in the gods is going on here?” Arya turned to Jarlaxle, who ran his fingers over his bald head. 

“He was given a potion. What do you need?” Jarlaxle grabbed Entreri and sat him on the bed, before going into the bathroom to was up.

“You’ve scared the poor barmaid to death!” Melody exclaimed.

“She gave him the potion.” Jarlaxle answered simply. There were worse things than threats. At least he hadn’t followed through with any of them.

“Oh,” Melody looked surprised. “Just lay off a bit. She’s still just a girl.” Melody turned and walked out of the room. Arya shrugged and followed her. Jarlaxle sat next to Entreri just as the barmaid walked in. She set the food down then left quickly.

“Eat.” Jarlaxle commanded Entreri. “Then we will go to bed, and one can only hope you’ll feel better in the morning.” Entreri ate almost all of the food, leaving a little for Jarlaxle, which he accepted if only because he knew his body needed it. 

“Jarlaxle?” Artemis looked at him as they were getting into bed.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for taking care of me.” Jarlaxle looked over at the assassin and smiled. 

“Anytime, Abbil.” Artemis crawled over next to him and put his head on Jarlaxle’s chest. He was asleep quickly, but Jarlaxle stayed up for a while. Sleep never found him quickly after a day inside, and he decided that even if Entreri still wasn’t himself, they would at least go outside to eat.

He looked at the human next to him, before settling down and drifting off.


	4. Chapter 4

Jarlaxle woke to the sound of Entreri cursing under his breath. He opened his eyes and saw Entreri struggling with the bedsheets as he tried to free himself. He laughed before helping his partner out of them. Entreri just glared at him. 

“Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” Jarlaxle laughed. Entreri glared at him again, this time with actual malice behind it.

“I was too cheerful yesterday.” Entreri grunted. He got dressed before walking out of the room. Jarlaxle hurried after him. He didn’t want to risk Entreri killing the barmaid. Even if she enchanted him. 

“If you ever slip a potion to anyone and I find out, you will be a dead woman.” Entreri threatened just as Jarlaxle got downstairs. The barmaid nodded before running away into a back room. Entreri nodded at Jarlaxle before they sat down at a table.

“Thank you for making sure I stayed in check yesterday.” Entreri sighed. “That could have been a lot worse.” Jarlaxle chuckled.

“Very true, Abbil. But it wasn’t, so I see no need to dwell on it!” He smiled softly, but the assassin still looked perturbed. “What is it?” 

“I did not mean to coerce you into any sexual activity yesterday!” Entreri blurted out. “I’m sorry.” He said as he tried to regain his composure. Jarlaxle was stunned for a moment before he burst out laughing. People at the tables next to them looked at him stunned, but he waved it away. “What’s so funny?” 

“Just the way you said that!” Jarlaxle was still laughing. “It is quite alright, Abbil. Quite technically, you didn’t. I stopped it.” Jarlaxle shrugged. 

“You shouldn’t have had to.” Artemis looked at his lap.

“Oh Abbil. Don’t dwell on it! You were under the effects of the potion. I hold nothing against you for it.” Jarlaxle smiled at him. Entreri didn’t smile back. 

“Not entirely.” Entreri wouldn’t meet his eyes. 

“Pardon?” Jarlaxle smiled at him uneasily. 

“I wasn’t entirely junked out on the potion! It wasn’t making me do things I didn’t want to do, just making me do the things that it deemed ‘good’ I guess.” Entreri glanced up at him before looking back down at his lap. “I don’t know why I told you that.” Jarlaxle looked at him for a long moment before he burst out laughing.

“Artemis Entreri you are the biggest idiot I have ever met!” He exclaimed between bursts of laughter. “You really think I would be mad or offended by something as trivial as that?” Entreri was watching him cautiously. “Abbil, it’s okay.” Artemis simply blushed and looked down at his lap. 

“We should stake out the mansion today. We know that they are nobles and all three are sisters, but other than that not much can be said about them.” Entreri changed the subject quickly. Jarlaxle nodded, and they paid and set out for the mansion. It was on the outskirts of the city, but they decided to walk so that they didn’t have to be seen. 

It was beautiful, with a flowing fountain in the middle of the courtyard and apple trees along the edges. The water seemed to have a sparkle in it. A sudden movement caught Jarlaxle’s eyes, and he saw two women come out of the set of double doors across the courtyard. He and Entreri were hiding along one of the rooftops overlooking the courtyard. 

“Ishira. She will perish soon, if not by the hands of some bounty hunter then by our own. She is our sister, but that does not mean she isn’t a menace to us all!” The woman had flowing golden hair, and she was scowling at the other one. The older woman looked down at her. The hair falling from her ears revealed that the women were elves. 

“Remina. She is your elder sister. Do not even think of saying what I believe you were hinting at, or you will be dead by dawn. You are lucky Olesya isn’t here to hear your blasphemous words.” The older woman had sharp features, and short black hair that contrasted her younger sister’s sharply. 

“What she did isn’t right. What she turned into wasn’t right! She will kill us all!” The younger one- Remina- burst out. 

“She will bring us salvation!” Ishira hissed. “She will save us.” Ishira slapped Remina across the face. “If you speak of this again, I will let Olesya feed you to the snakes.” She turned and walked back inside, leaving Remina to fall on the floor, weeping. Jarlaxle couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. Surface elves were rarely this cruel, and to think of a sister turning to something… Jarlaxle shuddered to think of what it could possibly be. 

“I don’t recall seeing a Remina Ducesca on the list.” Entreri turned to Jarlaxle. “Only Olesya, Ishira, and Nazara.” Jarlaxle nodded slowly. 

“Nazera must be the sister that she was talking about, the one who turned into something.” Jarlaxle shook his head. “You said you wanted a challenge! I’d say this is along the lines of a challenge.” Jarlaxle laughed. Entreri quickly put a hand over his mouth. Jarlaxle forgot they were still on the roof. 

“Who’s there?” Remina looked up in their general direction. “Who laughs at my sorrow? She glared. Jarlaxle noted that she had twin daggers strapped to her ankles and a whip wrapped around her wrist. She unraveled the whip slowly before swinging it out, it wrapped around the tree perfectly and she used the leverage to hoist herself up onto the roof they were on. She glared at the pair, holding the whip menacingly. 

“Ah, you see, we were only,” Jarlaxle began, but she cut him off. 

“You were spying.” She sighed, lowering the whip. “Let me guess: Assassin, Mercenary, or hitman?” She looked expectantly at them. 

“Assassins. And Mercenaries.” Entreri answered. She nodded thoughtfully. 

“I see. I suppose I was hoping for more than two.” She scanned them. “A drow, however, was unexpected.” Jarlaxle exchanged a look with Artemis. He wasn’t sure what the girl wanted. She wasn’t on their list, but she also was their target’s sister. Which meant this could go very badly. 

“You see, I have a problem. You were hired by Galambos, correct?” She asked. They nodded slowly, and she smiled. “Good. He sent me what I asked for! Unusual and you seem fairly prepared.” She grinned. 

“I’m sorry. Is what I’m to gather from this is that you sent Galambos to hire assassins to kill your sisters for you?” Jarlaxle asked ridiculously. This was some drow level family drama. She nodded. 

“My elder sisters have gotten into some dark magic, and I fear that if I don’t contain them, Thay will be at great risk. You see, Nazara was studying her magic a year ago. She was training to be a wizard. But she flipped to the wrong page. She was trying to summon a lesser fiend, but ended up on the page for something far worse.” She shook her head.

“She summoned a demon, and I don’t know what kind. But ever since she has… changed. Both physically and mentally. Olesya and Ishira are changing too. They are more bloodthirsty than they ever were before. I fear that they will grow too power hungry. Nazara is already talking of an army.” She sighed. 

Jarlaxle and Entreri exchanged looks. This job kept getting weirder and weirder. She began to pace, shaking her head.

“Come back tomorrow for dinner. You may dine with me as my personal guest. My sisters may or may not join us.” She paused, looking right at Jarlaxle. “If they do, they will probably try to recruit you.” She nodded to them, before jumping down off of the roof. She walked calmly through the double doors without a backwards glance. 

Jarlaxle sat there for a moment. She seemed sincere, but if it was a trap they were doomed. He beckoned Entreri off the roof towards the city, and they quietly made their exit. They didn’t say a word until they were within their room, Entreri shutting the door behind them.

“That was quite the turn of events.” Jarlaxle began. Entreri nodded. “I suppose we should discuss strategies then. I suggest that we go to dinner tomorrow if only to scope things out. If Remina is being truthful of her intentions, we will get a tour of the place and possibly meet her sisters that we may size them up. If she is not, we will be subject to a lot of torture.” Jarlaxle grinned widely. This was the kind of job he loved. 

“I doubt she is lying about her intentions. She had no way of knowing we were there, and she was already arguing with her sister. I suspect that she is scared of her sisters, and needs help killing them before they get to her.” Entreri got up and began pacing. Jarlaxle noticed he tended to do that when there was something that didn’t make sense to him. 

“Abbil, it will be fine. However, we do need to find out what kind of demon she has summoned. My guess would be either a demon bond or demon possession.” Jarlaxle had a grim look on his face. “And believe me when I say I hope it isn’t the former.” Entreri nodded, but continued to pace.

“What is the difference?” He asked, before settling on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. Jarlaxle frowned.

“Demon possession is just that. You have no control of yourself. A demon bond is where you form a bond with the demon, and it grants you powers, even going as far as changing your appearance over time. If the bond is not severed quickly enough, the mortal will eventually turn into a demon themselves. The timeline would make sense, if this all began a year ago.” Jarlaxle sat down next to Artemis. 

“We need to figure out what kind of demon it is, then. If it is a Incubus or a Succubus, however, we may have an issue.” Entreri looked grim. Jarlaxle almost asked why, but the look on his partners face told him all he needed to know, and he dropped the matter.

“I don’t think it is. My assumption is that the demon is female, as female demons tend to bond with members of the same sex. I also tend to think that it is a humaniodish fiend, as they are typically more intelligent. Except the Baelors, of course. However I don’t think they would bother with a random summoner.” Jarlaxle sighed deeply. 

“I say we go to dinner and scope out the place tomorrow, and go from there.” Entreri settled into the bed. “I’m exhausted. That potion drained so much of my energy yesterday, and even today I’m losing it. Jarlaxle smiled softly, deciding he would go to bed too, even if he didn’t need to. 

He smiled even wider when he sat down and the assassin curled up next to him. He settled in, with Entreri curled up with one hand on his dagger under the pillow and the other thrown across Jarlaxle’s chest. It was only a few minutes until Entreri’s breathing slowed. 

Jarlaxle did not find sleep so easily. He had found his mind wandering at so many different points the past two days, and all because of the human next to him. He thought back to their conversation at breakfast. 

“It wasn’t making me do things I didn’t want to do” Entreri had said. Did the potion act as a good alcohol, and simply take off your filter? Did it enhance your wish to do one thing, and make it harder to resist? Jarlaxle couldn’t stop thinking about it.

In Menzoberranzan, there was no caring for others like this. You could have allies, but friends? Partners? A foreign thing to those in the Underdark. If only he could figure out Entreri’s intentions. One moment he was all in, and the next he was like a cornered cat. It was driving Jarlaxle insane. 

Then there were the daggers. He needed to go to the Red Wizards and figure out what they were and how to use them. They gave off a small heat when within a few feet of each other, nearly burning when pressed together. The light, Jarlaxle had figured out, was only because they were pressed together in an x form. 

Jarlaxle realized how odd it was for daggers to be picky about the position they were in for their magic to work, but he knew that meant there were more secrets hidden within them. He didn’t dare get them out and mess with them here, mostly because he was scared he would end up burning the place down. 

Jarlaxle looked down at Entreri, with yet another soft smile on his face. Tomorrow they would meet with Remina and hopefully her sisters, and try and figure out how they wanted to play this. They would kill the sisters, hopefully send the demon back to the Abyss, and get paid. Then they could find Melody and Arya and head to Luksan. 

If only it were that simple. He exhaled, looking up. A job like this was bound to take at least a month. A month that would be putting everyone's life in danger involved. He grinned. That was the best kind of job!

He pressed closer to Entreri, closing his eyes. This could be fun indeed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you guys so much for all the support on these! It really means a lot to me, and the comments never fail to make my day!  
> I hope you enjoy :)


	5. Chapter 5

“Good evening, and welcome! It is so good to see the two of you again!” There were guards stationed every hundred feet, each with a single sword and a single whip attached to their belts. They wore heavy steel armor. Remina was talking, but Jarlaxle wasn’t listening. He let Entreri take the lead on the talking, and he would observe as much as he could.

“It is good to see you as well. I’m glad you are recovering well.” Entreri had pulled Remina aside and told them their cover story for how they met. She had been ‘in the market’ and tripped by a group of men. They scared them away. She smiled. She and Entreri began to chat as she led them to the dining room.

Two women sat at the far end of the table. They stared at the trio as they entered. Remina faltered in her step, before putting on a large smile. 

“Ishira, Olesya! I am pleased you are able to join us. These are my friends.” She gestured to them. Jarlaxle stepped forward. He bowed for a moment, and when he straightened up he began introducing them.

“I am Dinin.” They had agreed to go by different names. Jarlaxle chose to go by the Do’Urden firstboy’s name simply because he knew it would annoy Entreri. “This is my partner, Druzir.” Artemis had just picked a name. They sat down at the table. Remina sat across from Olesya, with Ishira at the head. Jarlaxle and Artemis sat across from each other, Entreri next to Remina and Jarlaxle next to Olesya. 

“A drow in these parts is nearly unheard of. You must have had quite a journey to get here.” Ishira smiled. It reminded Jarlaxle of a shark, and made him quite uncomfortable. 

“Indeed. The journey was long, but since I met Druzir here he has made it much easier. Something about being seen with a human seems to make drow look a little bit less threatening.” Jarlaxle pulled out his best fake smile he could. 

A small halfling came out and hoisted a jug of wine onto the table, bowing and quickly excusing himself. The women served themselves first, before offering the wine to Entreri. He took only enough to be polite before handing it to Jarlaxle, who followed suit. 

“What brings you to Bezantur?” Remina asked. She was being oddly quiet in the presence of her sisters. He hadn’t been around her very much yet, but he could tell she typically would talk to anyone who would listen. 

“Looking for work.” Entreri said gruffly. His eyes followed the gnome as he reentered with five plates of what looked to be a pasta of sorts. 

“What type of work?” Olesya asked sharply. 

“Anything that fits our skill set.” Jarlaxle intervened. A sharp look from Olesya pressed him to elaborate. “We are sellswords.” 

“We see plenty of you here in Thay.” Ishira scoffed. “You would have better luck going to Calimport for that. They always need more killers to keep their system going.” She looked Entreri up and down. “Though you seem to be a Calishite yourself.” Entreri nodded,

“I do come from Calimshan, but I find Thay to be more agreeable.” He slowly continued eating. A guard ran in, whispering something into Olesya’s ear. She sighed, before standing up. 

“I simply must ask for your excuse. I have something pressing to attend to.” She nodded at the two men before turning and hurrying out of the room. Ishira glared at her sister’s retreating form, but didn’t say anything. 

The rest of the dinner was simply small talk. Ishira was prickly at best, only saying something when prompted.

“I think I will retire to my room. I look forward to meeting you again.” Ishira held Jarlaxle’s gaze, almost as if to stare him down. He nodded politely before looking back at Remina. He heard Ishira exit, and Remina visibly relaxed. 

“I wasn’t expecting them both. Ishira seems to like you.” She giggled slightly. “That’s two of my sisters for you. I doubt I’ll be able to allow you to meet Nazara anytime soon.” She frowned. “You said you came here for work?” Her eyes lit up, and her frown turned into a smile quickly. “There is a posting for a guard position. You will be assessed based on your skill and discipline, and if you are satisfactory you will be stationed within the house. I recommend you come tomorrow.” She smiled.

“We just may.” Jarlaxle grinned. That would make this job a lot easier, and they would have a reason to be in the mansion at almost all times. 

“Let me give you a tour of the house. We can discuss other matters as we do so.” She led them out into the courtyard they saw the previous night. 

“I have a few questions about Nazara.” Jarlaxle said quietly. Remina nodded, eyes darting to the guards on the outskirts of the courtyard. Jarlaxle understood what she meant, and lowered his voice to just above a whisper.

“You said she has changed physically. What do you mean by that?” She smiled and laughed, though Jarlaxle could tell it was fake. Entreri smiled as well, as if they had shared a joke. 

“She is still herself on the top. Mostly. She sprouted a few extra arms. And from the waist down…” Remina shuddered. “She has the body of the snake. I don’t like being in her presence. There is another thing I stumbled upon a month ago while trying to find something in the dungeons.” Jarlaxle smiled and nodded.

“And that would be…?” Entreri prompted.

“There was a larger room. Filled with people. Except they weren’t. They had bits of flesh ripped from them, and some of them were just skeletons. They were working in what looked like a forge.” Jarlaxle and Entreri exchanged a look. The undead were not something either of them wanted to dabble in. 

“If you do this for me, I will forever be in your debt.” She turned towards them. They were in a long hallway now, with only one set of guards about 100 feet away. “I will inherit everything here. You will have your money, and a place to stay if you wish it.” She looked down. “I cannot do this alone.” Jarlaxle felt bad for the poor thing. 

“How old are you?” Entreri asked suddenly. Remina turned pink, looking down. 

“Twenty two.” She muttered. Jarlaxle swore, twenty two in elven years was akin to being ten in human years. She was but a child. “My sisters ensured that I grew up quickly!” She said defensively. Jarlaxle shook his head.

“We will do it. We will accept the guard position when we pass the tests, and we will kill your sisters for you.” Entreri said grimly. She smiled softly at him, murmuring a thank you. She continued to show them around the mansion. Neither were admiring the beauty, however. They were both memorizing the layout, where each door led and what rooms only had one entrance. Remina was telling them all sorts of odd facts, but neither were paying any real attention.

“I’m afraid that is all I can show you for now.” She curtsied. “I suppose it is past dusk. I will show you out.” She led them out of the house to the front, where they had stored their horses. “Thank you.” She smiled at them as they rode away. 

“She is a child. I shudder to think what her sisters have put her through.” Jarlaxle remarked. Entreri scowled at the road ahead. 

“I am more worried about the demon one. Nazara. She sounds as if she is not friendly at all. I want to see her and research her before we attempt to fight her.” Entreri said firmly. Jarlaxle nodded and focused on the road ahead of them. 

They reached the inn and went straight upstairs. Entreri walked straight into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Jarlaxle turned and sat on the bed. He heard a loud bang come from the bathroom and he leapt up, crossing the room and opening the door to the bathroom. He opened the door to see Entreri sitting on the toilet with his head in his hands. His knuckles were bleeding, and there was a hole in the wall.

“Abbil?” Jarlaxle knelt down next to the assassin. He was shaking, but there were no tears in his eyes. Entreri looked up slowly at him, before slowly lowering his hands. Jarlaxle put his hand on the small of Entreri’s back. 

“She’s a child. Who knows what her sisters are doing to her with a demon on the loose. She's essentially ten years old.” Entreri was scowling. “I know what it’s like to live in a house full of people who want you dead. I would never wish that upon anyone, muchless a child so young.” Entreri leaned into Jarlaxle’s touch. 

“I know, Abbil. We are going to save her.” Jarlaxle smiled softly.

“Since when did we start caring about our clients wellbeing?” Entreri smiled a little bit. Jarlaxle chuckled a little.

“Since they started hitting home with our weak spots.” Jarlaxle brought his other hand up to cup Entreri’s cheek. Entreri leaned into the touch, relaxing slightly. Jarlaxle helped him up and led him back into the bed. 

Entreri once again curled up on Jarlaxle. He splayed his fingers on Jarlaxle’s chest, tracing patterns on his chest. Jarlaxle leaned in and kissed Entreri on the forehead. Entreri tensed up for a moment, before leaning into Jarlaxle again. Jarlaxle internally sighed with relief. 

“I’m sorry. I kind of lost it on you.” Entreri muttered into Jarlaxle’s chest. 

“Remember the day after we saved Arya and Collette in the square?” Jarlaxle asked. Entreri nodded. “I lost it so badly that day. I killed three men in my rage. You didn’t leave me then. I’m not going to leave you now.” Jarlaxle smiled down at Entreri. 

“Thank you. I appreciate it. I don’t like feeling vulnerable.” Entreri frowned, snuggling in closer to the drow. “The demon. I think I know what it is.” Entreri muttered. Jarlaxle tensed, sensing a change in Entreri’s tone. 

“What do you mean?” Jarlaxle asked. 

“I don’t know the name of it, but I do know that they are very fierce in battle. It is a woman with the upper half of a human and the lower half of a serpent. The one time I was in combat with one was the one time that I almost died between finishing my training and battling Do’Urden.” Entreri sighed. “I fear that the two of us will not be able to take her on alone, especially if Olesya and Ishira are there.” 

“Then we find allies. There will always be some guards that can be paid off, some allies that we can find. We can count on Remina, and Melody and Arya will come if we call.” The gears in Jarlaxle’s head were turning. “If we pit Arya and Melody against Olesya and Ishira, You and I can battle Nazara. Remina can fit in wherever she is needed.” Jarlaxle counted. “Remina said Nazara has six arms. If we can even find one guard willing to desert, we will have enough people to keep her busy.”

“Sheer meat won’t stop her. But I trust that we can do this. We are the best of the best. I just don’t want the lives of the people we ally ourselves with to be forfeited for this job.” Entreri smiled grimly. 

“You have faced such a demon before. When?” Jarlaxle asked. 

“It was for a job. I was unprepared. That is all I wish to divulge to you at this time.” Entreri looked away. Jarlaxle nodded. Entreri looked back up at him. Their eyes met, and Jarlaxle let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. They held eye contact for a moment before Entreri leaned in slightly, asking for permission silently. Jarlaxle nodded slightly. 

Entreri closed the distance. Their lips met, and Jarlaxle felt as if he had been shocked. He ran his thumb over Entreri’s waist, Entreri leaning into the touch. Artemis pushed himself up, throwing his leg over Jarlaxle’s waist so he was straddling him. Jarlaxle leaned up, pushing himself up so that he was sitting against the headboard.

Jarlaxle took the risk and slid his tongue along Artemis’s bottom lip. Artemis opened his lips just enough to allow Jarlaxle entrance. Artemis moaned quietly, and Jarlaxle slid his hands from Artemis’s back to his waist, pulling him closer. Jarlaxle couldn’t believe what was happening. He was under somebody and he felt  _ safe. _ Such a concept was foreign to him.

But Entreri’s lips and body were doing things to him, making him feel ways he had never felt before. He slid his hands down to Entreri’s ass, pulling him closer. Entreri wrapped his arms around Jarlaxle, practically clinging to him.

The door opened suddenly, revealing the barmaid. Entreri practically flew off of Jarlaxle as the barmaid turned a beet red. 

“What are you doing here?” Jarlaxle spat out. The girl had been meddling with his and Entreri’s affairs far too much for his tastes. She mumbled some excuse and ran back out. Jarlaxle sighed, rolling his eyes. Of course the one chance he gets to really kiss Artemis they get interrupted. 

“We should go to bed.” Entreri wouldn’t meet his eyes, but he was grinning like a fool. Jarlaxle took that as a win. He lied quite stiffly on the bed, so Jarlaxle rolled over, resting his head on the assassin’s chest. Artemis brought his arm around Jarlaxle, resting his hand on his waist. Jarlaxle couldn’t help but think about how nice life would be if he could just live in this moment forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed :)


	6. Chapter 6

The line for assessments to be a guard was not long. It was said that more guards died here than any other place in Thay for the past year. When they heard this, Jarlaxle and Entreri had exchanged a dark look. Whether it was death by intruder or death by the sisters, the pair didn’t love the increased risk. 

Olesya and Remina stood at the edge of the training field, each with a bulky guard at their side. There were about twenty people in front of them, all looking desperate. The first two fared fairly well against the guards, but after that it was a trainwreck. Man after man got injured. There were only three positions available, all three of them inside. 

It came down to them and one of the men in front of them. He was slim, and carried two small jambiyas. Jarlaxle had to inquire what type of blade it was, and Entreri informed him that it was simply a curved dagger. It was a weapon typically found in Calimshan, which was why it seemed to puzzle Entreri that a Thayan man was carrying it. 

The man’s fighting style was rather blunt. He did not dally with teasing openings, he simply took openings he could get and left very few for his opponent to score on him. Jarlaxle watched him carefully, sizing him up. The man ended up flipping the guard’s sword out of his hand using the curved blade, ending with a stab that would have torn open his throat had he moved it an inch closer. 

He smirked as he nodded to the two women, briefly bowing to the guard. Then it was their turn. Jarlaxle turned away from Entreri. It was best that they fought separately on this one, and that they did not show all of their talent. They had to make sure Olesya couldn’t follow their style very well. 

Olesya nodded at them, but gave no signs of recognition. The guard struck first, an easy swing that Jarlaxle knocked away with his daggers. He chose not to elongate his daggers into swords unless he had to, though he was less skilled doing melee combat with daggers. 

He fought in a different style than normal, bluntly and not at all flamboyant as usual. He blocked many swings before he saw an opening he could take, and he did a small jump onto the guards shoulders, pushing him down before twisting into a roll, popping back up facing the guard. He ran up behind him, holding the dagger to hir throat. Olesya nodded to him and he released the guard. 

Entreri finished moments later, following a similar fighting technique as Jarlaxle had chosen. Olesya nodded to them both and the Thayan man, beckoning them to follow her. 

“The three of you have met my satisfaction. You two,” She beckoned at Artemis and Jarlaxle. “Will be stationed inside. Remina will show you the way. I will show you,” She turned towards the Thayan man. “To the barracks outside.” She nodded at the pair before Remina came over. 

“Good job.” Remina congratulated them. They muttered their thank you’s before following her inside. “This is where you shall check in every day. You two have the late night shift, from two to eight. You are expected to be here by one forty five every night to check in. Other than that, you are free to do whatever you like.”

“Thank you.” Jarlaxle said shortly. They nodded to Remina before heading out of the mansion. Jarlaxle suggested they take a ride on their horses. Entreri agreed, they both needed to get out of the city. 

The ride was exhilarating. Jarlaxle loved the way the wind whipped past his ears, and how the thudding of the horses hooves was so rhythmic. They flew through the countryside, through cornfields and soy fields. There were many small animals, Jarlaxle counted at least eight bunnies. Monsters must not be much of a problem here. 

The horses whinied and slowed down, exhausted from galloping such a large distance. Jarlaxle saw what looked to be an abandoned building and dismounted his horse, tying it to a nearby tree and allowing it to graze. Entreri followed suit, and Jarlaxle hesitantly pushed the building door open. 

It looked as if it was an old barn, with a ladder leading up to the top and little stables inside. It looked as if no one had been there for years, though. The only footprint they could find in the ground was at least a year old, if not more. It was a wonder the thing hadn’t washed away. Jarlaxle turned to Entreri.

“I always love exploring. Sometimes you find places like these, places that feel special because we are the first ones here for a very long time!” Jarlaxle grinned. He loved abandoned buildings on the surface because there weren’t any in Menzoberranzan. Something about them always feels creepy, but in a good way. 

“Indeed. They also make good hiding spots for rogues and thieves.” Entreri smiled at his companion. “It is good to get out of the city. While I prefer the city over the countryside, I enjoy the quiet out here. Jarlaxle nodded in agreement.

“I enjoy it because it is such a sharp contrast to Menzoberranzan. There is only the city, with the outskirts of it still being well populated. No one can afford to live on their own, due to the various monsters and threats that live down there.” Jarlaxle countered. Entreri shuddered.

“I know.” He replied. They climbed up to the top and sat by the window of the barn, allowing the sun to hit them. They sat in silence for a few minutes before they began to talk. 

“Do you know what kind of job Melody and Arya have found?” Jarlaxle asked him. Artemis looked over at him, laughing.

“Arya said Melody accepted a job hunting a band of goblins down.” They both laughed. It was the kind of job they would have taken on in their early years. 

“I’m sure they will be paid well for it, if they have learned anything from me!” Jarlaxle chuckled. They were both intelligent girls, but their concept of money was skewed by their upbringing. The two of them never saw much more than fifty gold at once, leading them to accept low paying jobs. 

“He was offering thirty. Arya convinced him to give them sixty.” Entreri replied. Jarlaxle smiled. Arya did have a talent for convincing people to do things, especially when it involved pointing her bow at them. 

“Well, they accepted a mediocre job, but at least they will be paid well enough for it.” Jarlaxle shook his head. “Though I think we still have them beat.” They both grinned at that.

“We have them beat by over 50’000. We are getting paid to guard our targets as well.” Entreri added. Jarlaxle nodded. They were getting paid 1000 gold a week for their position as guards, plus the 50’000 Remina was offering them once they killed her sisters. 

“The hours are terrible though. I can do a night shift, but arriving at one? A drow needs his beauty sleep!” Entreri rolled his eyes.

“If beauty is what you call it.” He quipped. Jarlaxle glared at him, before launching himself at his partner, pinning him to the floor. 

“Beauty is what I’d call all this.” He tipped his hat to the assassin lying under him, grinning. “You cannot deny my beauty.” He playfully lifted his chin in an attempt to look haughty, but all it seemed to do was make Artemis laugh harder. 

“You’re ridiculous.” Entreri sighed, before he flipped them. In an instant, Jarlaxle was pinned under Artemis. He blinked, not realizing how quickly it had happened. “You also let your guard down. That will get you killed one day.” Artemis smiled softly down at Jarlaxle, who attempted to look unbothered.

“I let you do that.” Jarlaxle grinned. Artemis grinned back, they both knew it was a bluff. Jarlaxle attempted to flip them over again, but Artemis held his ground. “Gods, of course I had to go and let you pin me.” Jarlaxle grumbled. Artemis rolled his eyes, getting off him and offering his hand to help him up.

Jarlaxle took it, and a moment later he was pressed up against the assassin. He was looking at Jarlaxle, smirking slightly. Jarlaxle couldn’t help but wonder where this behavior was hidden all along! He leaned in, pressing his lips to Artemis’s. Artemis smiled into the kiss, before pulling away suddenly, grinning. Jarlaxle pouted, sticking his bottom lip out in an attempt to coax him back in. Entreri simply shook his head before backing away. 

The pair went back down to their mounts, which were grazing where they left them. They mounted, before riding back into town. They found a small tavern near their inn, settling in for dinner. 

“I don’t suppose you have any lamb here?” Jarlaxle asked the barmaid after scanning the menu. He had taken quite the liking to lamb since coming to the surface, it was a delicacy they didn’t have in Menzoberranzan that he fully intended to enjoy. 

“My apologies, honored traveler. We ran out of the lamb yesterday.” She looked a little skittish. Jarlaxle sighed. He hoped to get some before they began their new job. 

“It’s quite alright. I’ll just have the beet stew.” Entreri ordered the same, along with a honeymead ale. 

“We should attempt to arrive at the mansion before our shift. I would like to have a look around first.” As always, Entreri led with business. Jarlaxle nodded. Privately, he thought they should look into seeing if they could salvage some of Nazara’s studies. Remina made them sound as if she had gotten quite far, and surface magic was different from drow magic, even if the differences were slight in some cases. 

“I agree. It is always beneficial to scout a place first.” Jarlaxle grinned. “Even better since we are to be standing in one place for hours on end.” Entreri groaned in exasperation.

“The thought does not appeal to me. I hope we get this job over with quickly, I do not wish to be guarding our targets for longer than necessary.” Entreri stared at him, narrowing his eyes. It was true, Jarlaxle did have a tendency to drag out jobs if only to gather information on the things he liked to collect. Like people and magical items. 

“Don’t look at me like that! I would never do such a thing!” 

“Of course not. You would only hold out until the last possible moment to see if you could salvage them. Don’t think I don’t know what game you play here.” Entreri smirked, triumphant. It was true, ever since he left Bregan D’aerthe he was looking for allies. 

“Allies are useful, Abbil. I did not get where I am today without them!” He protested. He knew Entreri thought he was thinking of attempting to salvage one of their targets, but in truth he just wanted to know what secrets Nazara knew. A bond with a demon was no easy feat, after all. 

“I did.” The tone of which Entreri uttered the words told Jarlaxle that allies out of any of the Ducesca sisters were out of the question. 

“And Remina?” He found himself asking. Surely there was no harm in keeping a contact here in Thay. 

“We will cross that bridge when we come to it.” It wasn’t a no! Not a yes either, but Jarlaxle took what he could get. His empire building tendencies and Entreri’s loner tendencies did not mesh well together at times. This appeared to be one of the times. Jarlaxe nodded, conceding. 

Their food came, and they immediately dug into it. Entreri did not say anything throughout the duration of the meal save for asking the barmaid for more ale. Jarlaxle simply rolled his eyes, eating silently. He supposed there were worse things than the silence. Jarlaxle knew that Entreri had stabbed people for less than what Jarlaxle constantly did. 

“We should go.” Entreri grunted when they were finished. Jarlaxle nodded absentmindedly, allowing his partner to lead them out. “We go to the Red Wizards to inquire about the daggers next week. I don’t want them to be near me more than necessary until we know what they are.” He scowled at the belt Jarlaxle kept them on. 

“Of course Abbil! I would love to go with you!” Jarlaxle kept a fake cheer in his voice, one that did not go unnoticed by Entreri. He just shook his head, offering a small smile to Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle grinned back as they headed back to the inn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed :)

**Author's Note:**

> We are back one day early! I know this chapter is short, but I am currently working on four different works right now for different fandoms! Thank you so much for your support, it means so much to me!


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